Chapter 2, the secret operation has been deployed

It was a morning at the end of November, and the climate had gradually turned cold. The dry and chilly wind that swept through the streets of the small town was, in the minds of the townsfolk, a harbinger of impending heavy snow. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the people, within the count's mansion, a young girl named Lux received an exhilarating piece of news

Well, it cannot be said that there have been no changes. At least on the second day after the carriage entered the town, the townspeople discovered that there was an additional young lady in the countess's residence

The young girl is approximately 18 years old, with dazzling, smooth golden hair cascading down her shoulders. She wears a lightweight sky-blue mage robe that outlines her perfect and captivating curves. Her delicate face carries a gentle yet subtly strong aura, evoking a fresh and elegant feeling, reminiscent of a gentle and lovely little sister next door, eliciting a sense of affection.

One can only speculate about the extraordinary stature of this reputedly prominent figure from the imperial capital, based on the multitude of guards surrounding the carriage.

Ah, Lux, although my life here is not as luxurious as that in the capital, I believe you must be happy, right?" At a bonfire party, the Countess asked with a smile. Thus, people came to know that the girl's name was Lux

After all, the intelligence of high-level magical beasts is not to be underestimated. It is better to avoid provoking the army of Debang if possible. However, the fact that the Lord of Winter, the ruler of this land, has taken no action at all has caused the young girl to feel a sense of unease

"What? Did you find it?" The girl's clear and melodious voice was filled with surprise and disbelief, "Is there really such a thing in the winter embrace of the forest?"

From the daily conversations and behaviors of the young lady, the townspeople can discern that she is a well-educated noblewoman

However, there is no other way; even if there are dragon's dens and tiger's lairs ahead, we must venture forth, as this concerns the future of the empire. We can only proceed with caution. After much contemplation, the girl, who had not arrived at any conclusion, ultimately issued the command.

It is said that Lady Freya is actually a prominent figure from the imperial capital, hailing from a distinguished family. However, she left the capital due to her husband's sacrifice on the battlefield and came to this tranquil small town to enjoy a life away from the hustle and bustle of the city

When encountering the townsfolk, the young girl would greet them warmly; however, until the heavy snow began to fall and she departed, almost no one was able to engage in any interaction with her, much like the white clouds soaring in the sky and the streams flowing through the earth

In Hammerstone Town, Madam Freya, the mayor, is a figure of great admiration among the townspeople. This admiration does not stem from Madam Freya's superior status, but rather from her kindness and benevolence

"In accordance with your orders, sir," the soldier replied and left the room

Like the Countess, the young lady is also a noble who appears gentle and approachable to the common people. She is very beautiful, and in this somewhat remote small town, she is regarded as a stunning beauty akin to a goddess

"Huh, never mind," the young girl let out a long sigh, gritting her teeth. "In any case, that thing is very important. We no longer have time to search for another legendary place; we must find it as soon as possible! Otherwise, we cannot afford the delay, the Empire cannot afford it, and neither can Javen."

The origin of this saying is no longer traceable, yet the townspeople firmly believe in it.

The adults did not express any disdain towards the soldiers, and thus they turned a blind eye to the children's behavior, only occasionally reminding the children not to approach the military camp

Sometimes the townsfolk would see Lux walking with the Countess after dinner, taking a stroll along the ridge, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, gazing at the distant Winterhold forest, obscured from view by tall trees, her distant gaze seemingly searching for something

"Great! Immediately send out the orders for everyone to prepare the military supplies. We will set off at noon. This time, we will go straight to the east and return to the capital tomorrow," the young girl said excitedly. At this point, she suddenly thought of something, "By the way, has the Lord of Winter embraced had any reaction to your actions during this period?"

At the end of October, a beautifully and elaborately decorated carriage entered Hammerstone Town, driving directly into the residence of the Countess, thus preventing the townspeople from catching a glimpse of the prominent figure inside the carriage

Apart from this, the entire town seems to have remained unchanged

On the following day, people discovered that the numerous and well-equipped guards had stationed themselves outside the town, and the soldiers did not disturb the townsfolk, while the townsfolk naturally did not dare to disturb them either

This... has not been seen, except for the occasional small beasts that come out to harass the brothers. The so-called Lord of Winter, as mentioned by the intelligence department, has not even been spotted; let alone the beasts, there have hardly been any encounters with high-level magical beasts. The soldier replied, without adding any personal opinions. As a basic quality of a soldier, it is essential that soldiers do not incorporate personal subjective speculation into intelligence unless absolutely necessary, in order to avoid influencing the commander's judgment.

It is said that she is a relative of the Countess, studying at the renowned martial arts academy "War Academy" on the mainland. This time, she came to visit the Countess, a distant relative, during the academy's holiday.

The two parties coexisted peacefully without incident, but the children in the town, driven by curiosity, often ran to the side of the military camp to observe the soldiers training under the scorching sun.

However, at this moment, the young girl was unaware of the changes her command would bring to the future of the entire continent

"What a beautiful name," the townspeople praised

"Is there some kind of conspiracy?" The young girl pondered, not surprised that the soldiers had been active in this notorious land of great danger for so long without encountering many reports of high-level magical beasts.

"Indeed, Commander, over the past month, we have explored nearly every corner of the forest that we could. Although we lost some brothers due to the attacks from the beasts, we ultimately managed to determine a rough location in the northwest of the forest based on the signals from the detector." The soldier reporting the news also displayed a hint of excitement. In the past month, various wild animals, insects, and those ferocious native beasts in the jungle had caused them considerable hardship, so completing the mission is indeed a gratifying achievement.

"This feeling of unease, could there really be some danger?" The young girl looked into the distance with a hint of worry, "However, throughout history, the rulers of the Winter Embrace have always been high-level magical beasts within the Winter Embrace Forest. Although high-level magical beasts are far more proud than ordinary beasts, they should not fight desperately over so-called territorial consciousness and potentially injure their own enemies, after all, they are not unintelligent wild animals. But... why is my heart still filled with worry?"

However, almost does not mean all, and it does not imply that there are no interactions between people and young girls here

Thanks to this lady, the taxes they are required to pay each year are much lower than those of the neighboring town. It is precisely for this reason that the lives of the townspeople do not seem so dire. For the townspeople, a good lord is the greatest happiness in life.

The two may occasionally meet, but they will never intersect, for they do not exist in the same world